The Future Begins

The presidential campaign for the future is over. Now the struggle for the future begins.

Before we jump into it, I want to acknowledge what's been done. A campaign based on hope has won the day. A candidate who spoke for empathy and compassion, for service and sacrifice, for intelligence and complexity, and against the cult of selfishness and stupidity, is now the President-Elect of the U.S.

A man of mixed race (a black African father, a white American mother whose ancestors include Native Americans) represents us to the world, and to ourselves. A brillian man and a brilliant woman with young children represent us to the future.

As Barack Obama said on election night, this is not yet the change we seek. But in recognition of the change so far, I've dropped one of the quotes that used to appear on the marque up there, the Bob Dylan line: "It's not dark yet, but it's getting there." We're still uncomfortably near to a new Dark Age. But maybe we've changed direction. Maybe we have a chance now.

Maybe it's a silly gesture, but it seems appropriate. As far as my little blogosphere is concerned, there will probably be bigger changes coming up. But this small one feels appropriate. We've got the President we need now. Now it's up to him, but not only him. It's up to us. The future has a chance. If we want it.